Get the kit, Martha! (Photo: improveverywhere.ning.com)

That’s right, the swine flu (H1N1 if you prefer more scientific, less barnyard nomenclature) simply won’t go away. In fact, nations across the globe are prepared for a difficult flu season this year. It’s not that the swine flue is any more dangerous than the standard type of flu that many contract each year and recover from, but it’s that the swine flu is everywhere and more people are likely to contract the flu this season.

Got a swine flue survival kit?

It’s an ounce of prevention. It’s a good idea to have one, particularly if you have health problems that make standard strains of the flu more dangerous. And thanks to publications like Consumer Reports, it’s easy to know what you should include. If you need no fax payday loans or short term loans to get all of this together, do it. Taking care of yourself should be your first priority in life. By caring for ourselves, we make ourselves able to care for others.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Make no mistake, the second wave of H1N1 is coming. If you can prepare for, prevent and treat symptoms if they occur, wouldn’t you do so? Consumer Reports has the following advice for people who want to do this in a safe, effective manner – by building a swine flue survival kit. Watch out for the September 2009 issue of Consumer Reports or check out ConsumerReportsHealth.org for more details. Until then, what follows are some of the basics.

• Make sure that you have a two-week supply of food and water on hand. Per day, that means about a gallon per person. This is particularly vital if you like in a Third World country, but still important if you live in industrialized society. Who wants to have to get up and go to the store while you’re sick? A two-week supply should be enough to help you ride out the disease
• It’s always important to keep a fever down as much as possible, because you don’t want a cooked brain. Thus, in addition to food and water, having fever reducers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen) around is a great idea. Make these part of your swine flu survival kit, for sure
• Congestion and cough are very irritating and can’t always be stopped by medication, but whatever helps you remain more comfortable is worthwhile. So go for cough and cold meds with chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, oxymetazoline and pseudoephedrine it them. Furthermore, the throat lozenges you use should have ingredients like dyclonine, glycerin or plain, old-fashioned. Nature’s way is typically the best
• The swine flu or any flu or cold wipes you out. That includes your bodily fluids, so you’ll need to replenish your electrolytes. Gatorade and similar drinks are good for that
• Using hand sanitizer is debatable in my opinion, as it eventually creates immunity within the virus community. Something with at least 60 percent alcohol is the way to go, but ONLY if soap and water aren’t available
• If you’re going to go the full Michael Jackson route and use a surgical mask (it is polite, mind you), then use ones with an FDA rating of at least N-95, says Consumer Reports. Anything less may not help prevent flu from spreading

Getting vaccinated

Safe AND stylin' (Photo: latenightwithjimmyfallon.com)

The U.S. government is at work on a vaccine against the swine flu. It will be recommended for school-aged kids or those at high risk, like pregnant women, those with chronic illness or those who regularly work around young children and the elderly. If this is for you, you should obtain your vaccination before December, when the traditional flu season begins. Remember, even if a vaccine doesn’t prevent the onset of flu, it can lessen the symptoms and shorten the duration.

Ultimately, common sense should prevail

If you take care of yourself and use proper hygiene, a swine flu survival kit could be just an afterthought. But there is something to be said for being prepared, so if this line of thinking appeals to you, then by all means make sure you have what you need. If symptoms do being to manifest, don’t panic. Begin traditional treatment, and if the fever or other symptoms persist or escalate out of control, seek medical attention. However, don’t crowd your local urgent care or emergency room because you have the sniffles and worry about swine flu. Medical resources should be saved for people who are truly in trouble. If you need emergency funds to help in your fight against swine flu, or if you need to create a swine flu survival kit, no fax payday loans and short term loans are available. Apply here today!

Related Video: